My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger

It slowly flowed across the ground, gathering into thin streams before sinking into the cracks between the stones.

Ranar’s golden eyes widened.

”The blood...”

She pointed.

”It’s moving.”

Gunter glanced at the blood.

To him, it was nothing unusual.

”That’s nothing to worry about.”

He continued walking.

”The city feeds on the blood spilled through conflict. It only craves the blood of fighters.”

Ranar stared at him.

”What happens if someone dies without fighting?”

Gunter shrugged.

”If you kill yourself or die like a coward, your blood is left to rot.”

He looked back at the streets.

”The city has no use for useless blood.”

Ranar felt a chill run through her.

Gunter eventually stopped beside one of the ancient walls.

He reached out and placed his palm against the black stone.

”People here have no reverence for the Goddess.”

His eyes became distant.

”But we crave glorious death.”

His fingers slowly curled against the ancient wall.

”When we die fighting, our blood and souls are absorbed by this city.”

He glanced toward Ric.

”We don’t need your God’s Circle.”

Ric frowned slightly.

Gunter looked back toward the streets.

”Life is already hell.”

His voice became quieter.

”So why should the afterlife be any different?”

He removed his hand from the wall.

”What’s the point of dying if all you’re going to do is return to this world in another form?”

”Who hurt you?”

Ranar asked the question slowly.

She had never seen such pain in a man’s eyes.

The people she had grown up around had their problems, their worries, and their grudges, but they still had something to hold on to. They laughed. They ate together. They argued. They loved one another.

She had never realized that such pain could exist within a person.

That someone could lose so much that the entire world became bleak in their eyes.

For the first time, Ranar felt grateful for everything she had.

She had a father.

A mother...Eva, who cared for her.

Her great-uncle.

Her aunt Luna and Iris.

Her great-grandfather.

So many people who loved her.

She finally understood why people called her the girl who had everything.

It wasn’t because she was rich or powerful.

It was because she had people.

People she could return to.

People who would search for her if she disappeared.

People who would mourn if she died.

There were others who had lost all of that.

And now she understood something else.

Telling someone who had lost everything to forgive was easy when you still had everything yourself.

It could even be cruel.

So she could only ask Gunter one thing.

”Who hurt you?”

Gunter stared at her for a moment before letting out a quiet laugh.

”Hurt me?”

He shook his head.

”Sorry, little lady. I’m way past being hurt.”

His expression became distant.

”Let’s go. We’re almost there.”

Ranar said nothing else.

She followed him.

Ric followed beside her, along with the children they had rescued.

They had all become unusually quiet since entering Anarchy City.

The city was chaotic in more ways than one.

There were open slave markets in the streets. Women dressed in revealing clothes stood outside establishments, while others barely wore anything at all. People were stabbed in alleys without anyone bothering to intervene.

Yet even within the madness, there was a strange order.

Some places had guards protecting them.

Some people walked through the streets with arrogant expressions because they possessed enough strength to back up their arrogance.

And Ranar and Ric quickly noticed the most important rule of the city.

If you had power, you were free.

If you didn’t...

You were in chains.

Ric bit his lip.

He watched a weak man being dragged through the street while those around him simply ignored his pleas.

Being weak was treated like a crime here.

Those with power didn’t use it to protect the weak.

They used it to control them.

To bully them.

To oppress them.

They treated weaker people no differently from livestock.

Ric felt anger rising in his chest.

”What kind of wicked ruler does this city have?”

He wanted to do something.

Anything.

But before he could say more, Gunter stopped in front of a massive doorway.

The entrance towered over them, several times the height of an ordinary person.

Two large men stood beside it.

Their bodies were covered in strange tattoos that seemed to shift slightly whenever they moved.

Gunter walked toward them.

”I spoke to the boss earlier about arranging accommodation for my guests.”

He gestured toward Ranar and Ric.

The two guards looked them over.

Then they stepped aside.

Gunter motioned for everyone to enter.

But as soon as they approached, the guards suddenly moved back into their path.

”Right.”

One of them held out his hand.

”You’ll have to hand over your weapons.”

Ric glanced down at the sword at his waist.

Then he looked at Ranar.

She nodded slowly.

Ric clicked his tongue and handed the sword over.

The guards took it.

But they didn’t move.

”Your storage ring too.”

Ric’s eyes widened.

”Huh? Why? I’m not handing over my storage ring. I have stuff in there.”

Gunter stepped closer and lowered his voice.

”Don’t worry. They’ll give it back.”

He gestured toward the guards.

”It’s for everyone’s safety. You can’t enter with weapons or anything that could incite violence.”

Ric narrowed his eyes.

It sounded reasonable.

Reluctantly, he removed the storage ring and handed it over.

”You better not lose my stuff.”

The others surrendered anything that could be used as a weapon.

Even Gunter handed over his own weapons.

Only then did the guards allow them to pass.

The massive doors opened.

Inside was a dark chamber.

There was almost no light.

The only illumination came from a strange beam of light shining down from the ceiling at the center of the room.

Gunter led them toward it.

Ranar followed without suspicion.

The moment they stepped into the light, Gunter suddenly walked out of the illuminated area.

Then he knelt.

”I’ve brought them.”

Ranar froze.

A strange sensation suddenly spread beneath her feet.

Magic surged.

A formation appeared beneath them.

Brilliant runes lit up across the floor.

Before Ranar could react, countless chains of magical energy shot upward.

They wrapped around her body.

A massive dome of light descended from above, trapping everyone inside.

Ric’s eyes widened.

”Gunter?”

Gunter didn’t answer.

Ranar stared at him in disbelief.

Then a voice came from the darkness.

”How much do I get for the two children from outside?”

Gunter remained kneeling.

He gestured toward them.

”As you can see, sir, the merchandise is good.”

Ranar’s knees weakened.

She fell to the ground.

Her golden eyes were wide with disbelief.

She couldn’t understand what she was seeing.

Her mind desperately searched for an explanation.

Gunter had saved them.

He had protected them.

He had guided them through the mountains.

He had taught them about the dangers of this world.

He had even warned them about trusting others.

And now...

He had sold them.

Ranar’s lips trembled.

”Gunter...”

For the first time since entering Anarchy City, fear truly entered her eyes.